Table of contents for Issue 149 in VWt

GET THE IDEA? I’ve realised the biggest allure with a Transporter is the fact you can do what the hell you want with it. Whatever your whim, it’s the perfect blank canvas. Into lows, and you can pretty easily get your Van picking out the weeds with its undertray by fitting the right components. Like your highs and getting all mucky? Buy a set of arch protectors, a lift kit and some knobblies. Look achieved... You can spend an entire lifetime metaphorically thumbing through parts catalogues online choosing what you want, getting ideas from other people, being inspired, chatting to mates, and eventually doing your own thing to get the look you are after. It’s the ultimate form of customisation. It’s the thing we probably all did when we were…

HOT VANS Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. It would be a very dull world indeed if we all liked the same things and were suspicious of change; nobody would modify their vehicles for a start, and this colourful showcase of cutting-edge motors that you hold in your hands would instead be filled with Wolfsburg paint code colour charts and differences in seat cloth weave, for want of more disparate subject matter. The fact that individuality shines brightly at the centre of the motoring galaxy is something we should all be very happy about. Of course, individuality is a double-edged sword: what’s cool and interesting to one person may well stick in the craw of another. And that, for some, is exactly the reason that they do…

While it would be a no-hassle solution to virtually everything in life, one size never fits all does it? From baseball caps to hoodies, you’ll either look as if you’ve borrowed it from a mate or just got the sizing hopelessly wrong but were too lazy to send the thing back and ask for a different fit instead. And the same rings true with Transporters, which is frankly why we love ’em so much. While many like the purist look of a Panel Van and prefer to keep things dead simple inside or leave the back totally empty, others opt for the bells and whistles approach. The pop-top, fridge, bed, sink, shower, 55in smart TV even. Okay, maybe the last one’s going a bit too far but you never know...…

We kick off the jobs on our VW Caravelle with some simple tasks. First, servicing the engine, which involves dropping out the engine oil, changing the oil filter, air filter, fuel filter and cabin filter. It really didn’t take that long (2hrs with photographs). Bear in mind that these vehicles do weigh over 2.3 tonnes unladen so you need proper lifting jacks or ramps and axle stands to match. On collection from BCA Nottingham, I noticed that the dashboard was saying ‘check brake pads’. Since then, as I’d not seen any invoices for brake changes, I’ve searched the service handbook again and found more main dealer invoices – two from 2015/16 with a total of £1625 and one from 2023. Only 5600 miles ago, the latest invoice advised rear brake…

AUGUST 30th – 1st Sept VW ACTION Santa Pod Raceway vwaction.co.uk 30th – 1st Sept VANWEST CHILLOUT Taunton Racecourse, Somerset TA3 7BL vanwest.co.uk SEPTEMBER 5th – 8th CARRY ON CAMPOUT! South of England Showground, Ardingly, West Sussex carryoncampout.co.uk 6th – 8th BUSFEST Three Counties Showground, Malvern WR13 6NW Busfest.org 8th CAMPERS & COFFEE Hellingly, Hailsham BN27 4DS Campersandcoffee.co.uk 13th – 15th GRILL N CHILL Osney Lodge Farm, South Godstone, Surrey RH9 8JH Grill-n-chill.co.uk 20th – 22nd RETRO DUB VW FESTIVAL Trinity Park, Felixstowe Road, Ipswich IP3 8UH Retrodub-suffolk.co.uk GET ADDED Got a meet or event that should be in here? Drop us an email to ian.cushway@kelsey.co.uk *Please note dates and venues are subject to change. So please check website for latest details.…

WE’RE BUZZIN’ ABOUT BUSFEST! Yep, it’s the one we’ve all been waiting for… The Three Counties Showground in Malvern is readying itself for the deluge of VW vans about to descend for Busfest on 6-8 September. And believe it or not, this year celebrates the show’s 30th anniversary, so it’s guaranteed to be even better than ever. If that’s even possible because it’s already pretty brilliant. Indeed, from humble beginnings in 1994, when it was called Vanfest, in the last three decades the annual gathering has blossomed into the world’s largest international bus festival for owners, lovers and enthusiasts of all eras of VW’s iconic Transporter. We love it, not just because of its sheer size, but because of the fun, family-friendly atmosphere that makes us want to come back…

Modifying. Customising. Personalising. Whatever you want to call it, making upgrades to your vehicle is a delicate process. Much like a Michelin starred chef will select only the finest ingredients and combine them with skill and artful precision to create a mouth-watering dish with a flavour that packs a much greater punch that the sum of its parts, the right tuning tweaks can elevate your ride to heights far above anything that rolled off the factory floor. But, just like in the kitchen, you have to be careful to balance the flavours if you want a tasty result. One man who has mastered both the culinary arts and the world of car customisation is 47-year-old Ryan Mullins. Having worked in graphic design and marketing agencies for over 25 years and…

TRANSPORTER ARCHIVE70 YEARS OF THE VAN Believe it or not, the Transporter was first launched to the world at the Commercial Motor Show at Earl’s Court, London, seven decades ago this year, and since then more than 13 million have been sold. That’s right, we were the first nation to witness the debut of what’s become a worldwide phenomenon! For six generations, globetrotters have travelled the world in it, businesses have relied on it and the coolest people on the planet have made it their vehicle of choice. Now, 70 years on and the Transporter’s endless popularity continues, from a piffling 786 UK sales in 1954, to 17,521 in 2023. And given the popularity of the latest T6.1 model, plus the anticipation surrounding the upcoming T7, the Volkswagen Transporter timeline…

Stuart Skerry runs his own smart repair business, aptly called The Smart Repair Dude, and has always been into VWs. “My first car was a ‘70 Beetle which I restored with my dad when I was 15,” he explains. His first foray into Buses followed soon after when he acquired a ‘72 crossover Bay which, he thought, just needed a six-month makeover when he bought it. That was three decades ago and having done the hard bits, as he puts it, it’s no nearer being back on the road than when it first rolled off the low-loader. So where does the gleaming ‘84 Auto-Sleeper you see here come in? Well, believe it or not, that came about due to peer pressure and money set aside for a new bathroom! “To…

THE DIEVANBOYS, 2022 T6.1 CALIFORNIA Hi VWt, I am Henrik Busch, with Martin and our nephew Aiden; we’re known as the dievanboys! We’re from the city of Vechta which is in the northwest of Germany between Osnabrück and Bremen. Together with some Bulli friends, we go to many meetings in Germany and enjoy the great exchange with other vanlife enthusiasts. On the road we travel part-time in our Van all over Europe and enjoy discovering new places. We like the playful mix of English and German in texts which is how our name came about. At the beginning of last year we had our 2022 T6.1 converted by Surfervan in Ratekau, which is near Timmendorfer Beach on the Baltic Sea. It was a Van that had already been ordered from…

Congratulations on your 35th anniversary, guys. What’s the secret that’s enabled you to keep on ticking all those boxes for VW enthusiasts? Thank you very much! It’s been an amazing journey, and I think we’ve had such a great 35 years because myself and the rest of Just Kampers have never lost sight of what it’s all about: Getting people the right parts, at the right price. It’s really helpful as well that we’re VW enthusiasts ourselves. We attend shows, we drive and work on our own Volkswagens, and we’re involved in the VW community, so we know what’s going on and what people are working on or looking for. What has been the biggest challenge over the last three and a half decades as a VW parts supplier? We’ve…

It seems weird to think about it now, but I remember a time – in the late ’90s – when these vans were new and the 2.5 was the high-spec version everyone wanted. I hired a white 2.5 Panel Van in 1999 to move a load of furniture from Cornwall to Hertfordshire and I remember it being a really fun trip; the van, with the five-cylinder engine was a pleasure to drive – get the revs up over 2500rpm before you set off and it’d pin you back in the seat. It’s no wonder these Transporters are as popular now as they where when new. The only snag is finding a good one. It’s funny how the benefit of hindsight often has the effect of rose-tinting a load of things…

Peak summer isn’t a good time to travel. But if you want some sun out of season, you’ll need to head to the Continent. However, with having to drive on the other side of the road, tolls, confusing roadsigns... it’s easy to feel intimidated. In reality, though, it’s all pretty simple and taking your Van overseas this autumn will instantly open up a whole new world of adventure. The Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais only takes 35 minutes and you don’t even have to get out of your Van which could prove a big hit if you’re travelling with a baby and can’t face the hassle of unpacking prams and other paraphernalia. The ferry option from Dover to Calais takes longer but if you want to build a boat trip…

Own a super-tasty Transporter, Crafter or Multivan and want it featured in these very pages? Then show us what you’ve got! Please e-mail a good selection of images that show the exterior and interior of your van to ian.cushway@kelsey.co.uk along with a spec list and add the subject title ‘Feature me VWt’. If we like what we see, we’ll get back to you ASAP about the possibility of a full VWt magazine feature shoot. So, what are you waiting for? Get snapping and show us your van, we’d love to see it!…